Janet E. Kennel

Janet Elvera Kennel was born to William & Irma (Doering) Marquart on May 7, 1943. She was the second of four daughters. She lived most of her childhood on the Marquart family farm. From an early age, her mother instilled a strong work ethic in her; a trait that Janet held onto her entire life. As a small girl, one of her chores was to go to the cellar to get the family’s butter for the week. Much to her mother’s disapproval, Janet liked to eat half the butter before she got it to the house. Janet attended rural school district #64. She enjoyed spending time with her cousins at family get-togethers, school, and church. She was confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, not far from the family’s home near Byron, Nebraska. At age 16, Janet’s first ‘in town’ job was at the Byron Café, a job she really enjoyed. About the same time, she met a slightly older Mennonite boy named Warren Kennel from Strang, Nebraska, when one day he showed up at her parent’s house. Janet was not allowed to date him until she was a bit older, but he kept showing up often playing catch with her and her younger sisters in the yard. Janet graduated from Deshler High School in 1961. After courtship, she and Warren were married on June 10, 1962 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. They built their home on the Kennel family farm near Strang. They farmed with Warren’s brother, Wayne and his wife, Betty, for more than 30 years. Her farm chores included milking cows twice a day, caring for the chickens, along with other chores that come with farm life. She also raised ducks, geese, turkeys, and a stray peacock that showed up one day. Janet and Warren had two children, Randy Ray in 1963 and Joni Dee in 1966. She saw that they went to church every Sunday and tried to make them behave the best she could. When that didn’t work, she told them “Wait until I tell dad what you did!” and that usually settled them down. Family vacations were taken each summer, often to the Rocky Mountains. The highlight of more than a few of these vacations was watching Janet lose her footing, bouncing down the mountain they had just climbed on her back side and bringing home a souvenir bruise that she would gladly drop her drawers to show off if she were asked! In the 1980’s, Janet worked in Shickley as the Postmaster relief for a number of years. She also worked with Warren in their photography business taking pictures for many weddings and graduations. She also painted many houses with her mom and sister, Nancy, during these years. After Warren and Wayne retired from farming, they moved to Geneva where she worked part-time at Casey’s for more than 10 years. One to never sit still, she also spent 29 years with Nebraska Ag Statistics as a statistician and then a supervisor for the last 15 years working for nearly 20 counties from Webster County all the way to the counties near the Missouri River. This job suited her well as it kept her on the move as she travelled up to 200 miles a day and made 100’s of friends with the farmers that she interviewed across the area. She was known as the ‘Ol Pest’ to many of the folks that she interacted with on her statistics job. Janet and Warren enjoyed traveling, going to the grandkids activities, visiting with friends and family, and attending many flea markets where they added to their large collection of ‘things.’ They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2012. In 2018, Janet was diagnosed with dementia. She moved to the Fairview Manor in 2019. As the dementia complicated her life, she continued to maintain her humorous and outgoing personality and she made many friends with the staff and residents at Fairview Manor. She enjoyed gathering the eggs each day, going on outings and doing activities with ‘her’ kids from the Tiny Images Childcare Center. She even entertained everyone by going down the slip-and-slide with the kids and catching the chickens with her bare hands after the chicken races this past summer. Janet was a founding member of the Faith Mennonite Church from 1965 until its closing in 1994. She and Warren then joined the United Methodist Church in Geneva. She finally got to ‘go home’ at the age of 76 on October 12, 2019 at the Fillmore County Hospital with her daughter by her side. Janet was preceded in death by her parents, William and Irma Marquart; husband, Warren; parents-in-law Edward and Neoda Kennel; brother and sister-in-law Wayne and Betty Kennel; sister-in-law Norma Saltzman; and brother-in-law Jerry Vieselmeyer. She is survived by her son, Randy Kennel of Geneva, Nebraska; daughter, Joni Nuss and husband Ron of Sutton, Nebraska; grandchildren Mitchell Nuss, Riley Nuss, and Emileigh Kennel; sisters, Merna Yoder or Aurora, Nebraska, Alice Vieselmeyer of Friend, Nebraska, Nancy Vogel and husband Ken of Hebron, Nebraska; brother-in-law LeVoy Saltzman of Shickley, Nebraska; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. A Funeral Service for Janet was held on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Geneva, Nebraska. Kim Dunker officiated the service. Sondra Myers accompanied the congregation in the singing of “I’ll Fly Away.” Emileigh Kennel sang “In The Garden.” Pallbearers for the service included Mike Yoder, Monte Yoder, Ray Vieselmeyer, Karl Vogel, Darrel Mosier, and Matt Mosier. Honorary pallbearers included Mitchell Nuss, Riley Nuss, and Emileigh Kennel. Interment was held in the Geneva Public Cemetery following the Funeral Service. Farmer & Son Funeral Home was in care of the arrangements and online condolences can be left at www.farmerandsonfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to the Fairview Manor in Fairmont or the United Methodist Church in Geneva.

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Janet E. Kennel

May 7, 1943 - October 12, 2019